[Verse 6]
Starry-eyed and laughing as I recall when we were caught
Trapped by no track of hours for they hanged suspended
As we listened one last time and we watched with one last look
Spellbound and swallowed ’til the tolling ended
Tolling for the aching whose wounds cannot be nursed
For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones and worse
And for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashin'

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About “Chimes of Freedom”

“Chimes of Freedom” was written shortly after the release of “The Times They Are a-Changin'” album in early 1964 during a road trip that Dylan took across America with musician Paul Clayton, journalist Pete Karman, and road manager Victor Maimudes. During this time Dylan was exposed to the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and the symbolists, and this is one of the first songs where this influence becomes so prevalent. As such the song, and by extension thr album, can be considered a transition from simple folk lyrics, to abtrasct, poetic ones.

It was written at about the same time as “Mr. Tambourine Man”, which is similarly influenced by the symbolism of Arthur Rimbaud.

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